I Found a Flaming $150K Audi E-tron GT On Our Service Lift, It’s Hard Enough To Get an EV Fire Out On a Road, One Inside Presents A Whole New Set of Issues

It was a scary situation. 

All hell broke loose when the blaze started in an Audi E-tron GT being serviced at an Audi dealer. You can imagine the service techs' horror seeing a customer's $150,000 sports car go up in flames. 

The Audi E-tron GT was being serviced at Audi Indianapolis, and when it broke out in flames, it filled the service department with heavy smoke. A quick call to 911 brought the local fire department with sirens blaring.

The Carmel Fire Department, as reported by Automotive News, responded swiftly and bravely to extinguish the fire despite the challenging circumstances. The Audi E-tron, perched high on the service lift, posed a unique challenge for the firefighters, but their quick thinking and training averted a potential disaster. 

Lithium-ion battery fires in electric vehicles present unique challenges, burning hotter and longer than fires in traditional cars.

"The dealership did have a sprinkler system, which probably helped the spread, but it wasn't putting that out," Tim Griffin, a spokesperson for the Carmel Fire Department, told TV station WISH.

Firefighters had to lower a burning electric sports car from the dealership service lift and roll it outside with dollies and a forklift to extinguish the flames fully.

A spokesperson for Audi Indianapolis said, "It took the firefighters and us getting hoses in there and on that car to cool it off enough actually to be able to move it."

On its Facebook page, the Carmel Fire Department said it had planned to battle a lithium-ion battery electric car fire in an enclosed building and moved the vehicle outside to prevent the flames from spreading. Griffin said the EV reignited several times while being relocated.

Carmel Fire Department said, "A "hot" topic in the fire service right now is EV or electric car/lithium-ion battery fires. The Carmel Fire Department has experimented with car fire blankets, firefighting foams, and other extinguishment tactics."  

"If one of these vehicles catches fire on the roadway or in a parking lot, it is hard enough to extinguish. However, one in a garage or other structure presents a whole new set of issues. Over the weekend, the Carmel Fire Department responded to the maintenance department of a local dealership for a fire alarm with sprinklers activated."

"The first crews were met with heavy smoke throughout the maintenance area. After balancing the alarm, firefighters were able to extinguish the EV car fire up on the lift mostly; however, being lithium-ion, it's nearly impossible to fully extinguish if there is thermal runaway."

"Through different trainings, one tactic we discussed and were able to put into action was to remove the vehicle from the structure. Fire crews lowered the car onto wheel dollies and used manpower and a forklift to push the vehicle out of the maintenance area." 

"This required plenty of firefighters and water to keep the fire in check. After loading the vehicle on a flatbed, a fire engine followed the flatbed and vehicle until it reached the salvage yard."

After the fire was out, the Audi E-tron GT was loaded onto a flatbed and escorted by a fire engine to a salvage yard.

Insurance providers are also adapting as the automotive industry grapples with the unique challenges of lithium-ion battery fires in electric vehicles. Zurich Insurance Group, a leading provider for automotive retailers, has issued a loss-prevention bulletin to its industry clients, outlining steps to mitigate the damage risk from a thermal runaway EV fire. 

"These are all things that, from an insurance perspective, we think about as potentially new types of exposures and risks," Jason Meador, head of direct markets for Zurich North America, told AN. 

Even as more automotive brands have added EVs to their lineups, Meador said Zurich has yet to change its rates and pricing for dealer insurance.

"We don't charge them a different rate because they have electric vehicles" in their lineup, Meador said. "At this point, it's too early — losses haven't gone up — but we are conscious of what those exposures actually are."

Energy Security Agency is a business that, in part, helps dealers, towing operators, first responders, fleet operators, and others navigate safety and hazard issues with batteries, including doing battery testing and risk assessments. They play a crucial role in ensuring that the industry is equipped to handle the unique challenges of electric vehicle fires. 

Electric vehicles and their batteries, even older models involved in a flood or collision, aren't inherently dangerous to service. However, they present unique risks that must be carefully inspected and analyzed before any repair work is attempted. 

The emphasis on safety measures ensures that dealer technicians are cautious and well-prepared when dealing with EVs. 

"After an inspection, those vehicles that are found to carry higher levels of risk need to be serviced with extra caution, including isolation," the report said.

Conclusion:

It is not that electric vehicles catch fire more often than gas vehicles because they don't; EV fires concern firefighters because of their intensity, especially when those fires happen in enclosed spaces such as service bays.

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Carmel Fire Department